Binder



(No Model.)

A. K. OWEN. BINDER.

No. 402,849. Patented May 7, 1889.

WITNESSES: llVVE/VTOR:

ATTORNEYS.

N. PETERS. Plumb-Lithographer. Wanhington. v.1.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ASA K. OVEN, OF LAKE GENEVA, WVISCONSIN.

BlNDE R.

sPncIFIoA'rroiv forming part of Letters Patent No. 402,849, dated May 7, 1889.

Application filed December 19, 1883 Serial No. 294,037- (No model.)

T0 to whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ASA K. OWEN, of Lake Geneva, in the county of Walworth and State of WVisconsin, have invented a new and Improved Binder, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the annexed drawings, forming a part thereof, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved binder, and Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken on line 00 0c of Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both views.

Heretofore temporary binders for blank paper and for holding bill and letter heads have been made with paper-holding devices which project above the surface of the board which supports the paper and interfere with the handling of the board, besides exposing the parts so that they are liable to injury.

The object of my invention is to construct a temporary binder in which the upper surface will be upon the same level as the paper held by the binder; also to provide means whereby the paper may be readily introduced into the binder and firmly held in the position of use.

To this end the invention consists in the combination, with a board furnished with suitable cross-pieces to prevent warping, of a spring-actuated clasp hinged to the back of the board and extending forward and clownward over the face of the board, the free edge of the clasp, which extends over the face of the board, being of sufficient width to bear firmly upon the paper and hold it securely. My improved binder is designed to permit of taking a sheet of paper with one hand while the remaining sheets are held in place with the other hand.

In the present case I shall describe my improvement as being attached to a thin board furnished with cleats to prevent it from warping, this being the form of binder adapted to the use of stenographers, copyists, salesmen, &c.; but I do not confine myself to this construction, as the binder may be arranged in a pair of book-covers, so that the paper held by the binder may be protected by the covers when not in use.

The board A, to which the paper clasping device is attached, is provided at each end on the back with strengthening-cleats a. A piece of sheet metal forming the clasp B, for holding the paper on the board, is bent at right angles along one edge and curved over parallel with itself, forming the lip O, which extends over the face of the board A. The clasp B is preferably covered with leather or analogous material, the said covering being allowed to extend from the straight edge of the clasp downward along the back of the board A, the leather or cloth being attached to the board by gluing, thus forming a hinge for the clasp.

Near the upper end of the board A, and between the clasp B and the said board A, is placed a curved fiat spring, D, which is secured at its center to the back of the board A, the extremities of the said spring pressing against the clasp B, thus tending to force the body of the clasp away from the board and bring the lip O downward toward the face of the board.

"When it is desired to place paper in thebinder, the binder is laid upon the table and pressed downward by the hand, so as to widen the space between the board A and the lip 0, when the paper will be slipped under the said lip C and the board will be released, thereby allowing the spring D to act and cause the clasp B to press the upper edge of the paper firmly against the board A. After a sheet of paper has been used and it is desired to remove it from the binder the sheet is lifted from the body of the paper and withdrawn from underneath the lip G, leaving the re mainder of the sheets upon the board A and in engagement with the clasp B, the same pressure which releases the top sheet holding the remaining sheets in place. i

The board A and the clasp B may be of the same length, fastened together at the foot by any suitable means, or the sides of the clasp B may be turned up at right angles, thereby forming a kind of box-case the better to hold the board A in place.

It is obvious that in lieu of applying a spring to the clasp B the clasp itself may be made of spring material.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent-' 1. In a temporary binder, the combination, and the spring D, secured to the back of the 10 with a support, of a spring-clasp extending board A and arranged to press the clasp B from the back of the support over the edge rearwardly, thereby drawing the lip 0 toward thereof and parallel with the face of the supthe face of the board A, substantially asspeei- 5 port, substantially as specified. fied.

2. In a binder, the combination, with the ASA K. OWEN. board A, of the clasp B, formed of a plate -Witnesses: bent at right angles, returned parallel with E. D. RICHARDSON,

itself, and hinged to the back. of the board A, CHAS. E. BUELL. 

